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Friday, July 10, 2009

It started as a challenge to my creativity. I'd asked my Dad to pick me up some old lunch trays I'd seen at a garage sale he'd organized. When he brought over the trays he gave me a box of old cookie tins too. Thought I'd want them too. I think cookie tins are kind of pointless and I really had no use for them- but it's my dad and he'd got them for me so I mumbled thanks and tossed them in the garage. But later I was thinking about art and how really we should be able to make amazing art out of anything. So I started to play around with the tins. I did a post a while back with my first experiments altering their finish. I'd crackle painted one and spray painted another trying to see what I had to work with. Then I dropped it to do the book stuff.So a couple of days ago when I needed to try and quick come up with a submission idea for the next Sew Somerset my eye fell on the tins and I thought I'd give them a try. Anything can be art right? The tin on the right is my first attempt. I really struggled with it at first. I knew I wanted to use some fabric and wire- :) and I knew I needed to include stitching, and because of the depth I thought it'd be cool to have things at different levels. So those were the parameters.

It turned out kind of fun. The central flower is actually fabric petals that I cut, coated with gel medium and then stuck to a mini plastic easter egg. To attach the wire, I used my handy dandy crop-a-dile and punched holes. The little silhouette at left is courtesy of Singlestone Studios. I was trying to channel the whole cameo look.

So there you have it- a little creativity and now I'm looking at the tins in my garage in a completely different light. Thanks Dad!

2 comments:

Do you like your crop-a-dile? I bought one and keep going back to my TH hammer and handheld punches. I never use the crop-a-dile. Although maybe if I were punching tin I would as my other punches wouldn't do that.

LOVE these by the way - the egg carton and fabric flower is such a cool idea and I love the dimension it brings to the project.

I use my crop a dile all the time. I have the Big Bite too because my only frustration with the first was it's limited reach. I do use it primarily with thing metal but I've used in on popsicle sticks and paper too. LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

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Art 2 Heart

This unique arts ministry is all about igniting our God given creativity to impact others and to share the gospel around the world. It has both a gift shop and online shop that sell goods made by both people in need and others who have a heart to help those in need. A non-profit, it is 100% volunteer staffed and donates to groups around the world, that are working to house, feed, protect, educate, and love women and children in need. I sell my work at the gift shop but also design many of the products made by our volunteer groups and artisan co-op. So if you'd like to purchase some of my work or designs and help others, or just learn more, check out our website at art2heart.myshopify.com

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